scholarly journals Adapting behavioural surveillance to antiretroviral-based HIV prevention: reviewing and anticipating trends in the Australian Gay Community Periodic Surveys

Sexual Health ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Holt ◽  
Toby Lea ◽  
Limin Mao ◽  
Iryna Zablotska ◽  
Evelyn Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Condom Use ◽  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Antiretroviral Drugs ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Treatment As Prevention ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Condomless Sex ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Behavioural Surveillance ◽  
And Bisexual

Background In Australia, the preventative use of antiretroviral drugs [pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and treatment as prevention] is being embraced to protect individuals at high risk of HIV and reduce onward transmission. Methods: The adaptation of a behavioural surveillance system, the Gay Community Periodic Surveys, was reviewed to monitor the uptake and effect of new prevention strategies in Australia’s primary HIV-affected population (gay and bisexual men, GBM). The national trends in key indicators during 2000–15 were reviewed and a new measure to take account of antiretroviral-based prevention was developed. Results: Between 2000 and 2015, there were significant increases (P < 0.001) in annual HIV testing (56.1–64.8%), condomless sex with casual partners (26.8—38.8%) and the proportion of HIV-positive men on HIV treatment (72.5–88.4%) and with an undetectable viral load (73.7–94.7%). The proportion of casual partners who were HIV negative, not on PrEP and who engaged in receptive condomless sex also increased between 2000 and 2015 from 12.8 to 19.3%. Two scenarios anticipating the effect of PrEP highlighted the need to target GBM who engage in receptive condomless sex while also sustaining condom use at a population level. Conclusions: Behavioural surveillance can be successfully adapted to follow the effect of antiretroviral-based prevention. It is anticipated that HIV testing and HIV treatment will continue to increase among Australian GBM, but to prevent new infections, intervention in the growing proportion of GBM who have condomless sex with casual partners is needed. For PrEP to have its desired effect, condom use needs to be sustained.

Frequent condom use with casual partners varies by sexual position among younger gay and bisexual men in New Zealand: national behavioural surveillance 2006–2011

Sexual Health ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan J. Lachowsky ◽  
Peter J. W. Saxton ◽  
Anthony J. Hughes ◽  
Nigel P. Dickson ◽  
Robin R. Milhausen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Anal Intercourse ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Receptive Anal Intercourse ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Regular Partner ◽  
Sexual Position ◽  
Behavioural Surveillance ◽  
And Bisexual

Background Condom promotion remains a cornerstone of HIV/STI control, but must be informed by evidence of uptake and address disparities in use. This study sought to determine the prevalence of, and demographic, behavioural and relational factors associated with, condom use during insertive and receptive anal intercourse with casual partners among younger gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) in New Zealand. Methods: The 2006–2011 national HIV behavioural surveillance data for YMSM aged 16–29 years was pooled. Separately for each sexual position, frequent (always/almost always) versus infrequent condom use was regressed onto explanatory variables using manual backward stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Three-quarters of YMSM reported frequent condom use during insertive (76.0%) and receptive (73.8%) anal intercourse. YMSM who were exclusively insertive were more likely to report frequent condom use than versatile YMSM. Factors positively associated with frequent condom use, irrespective of sexual position were: in-person versus web-based recruitment, testing HIV negative versus never testing or testing HIV positive, having no recent sex with women, reporting two to five versus one male sexual partner in the past 6 months, reporting no current regular partner, but if in a regular relationship, reporting a boyfriend-type versus fuckbuddy-type partner, and frequent versus infrequent regular partner condom use. Pacific ethnicity and less formal education were negatively associated with frequent condom use only during receptive anal intercourse. Conclusions: The findings from this study demonstrate that condom norms can be actively established and maintained among YMSM. Condom promotion efforts must increase YMSM’s capacity, agency and skills to negotiate condom use, especially for the receptive partner.

Influencing Condom Use by Gay and Bisexual Men for Anal Sex Through Social Marketing

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffery Adams ◽  
Stephen Neville ◽  
Karl Parker ◽  
Taisia Huckle
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Gay And Bisexual Men ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Anal Sex ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
And Bisexual

Encouraging gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) to use condoms for anal sex has been a cornerstone of HIV prevention initiatives globally for several decades. In New Zealand, Get it On!!, a social marketing program, sought to influence gay and bisexual men to use a condom “every time” for anal sex. To assess the effectiveness of Get it On!, an integrated program evaluation approach including evaluation rubrics was utilized. Self-report data were collected from 960 men using an online survey and a paper-based survey administered at a large, gay community event. The men reported they were exposed to the campaign messages, understood them well, and engaged with the program. Importantly, the men reported Get it On! encouraged them to take action, including being more conscious about using a condom for sex. Get it On! performed well in regard to encouraging a culture accepting of condom use. Significantly, the evaluation found the greater the exposure to Get it On!, the more likely a man was to report using a condom for anal sex. Overall, the campaign is likely contributing to New Zealand’s relatively high rates of condom use and the low incidence of HIV infection among MSM. This strongly suggests the campaign should be continued and enhanced as a key HIV prevention strategy.

Trends in HIV testing among homosexual and bisexual men in eastern Australian states

Sexual Health ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett Prestage ◽  
Fengyi Jin ◽  
Iryna B. Zablotska ◽  
John Imrie ◽  
Andrew E. Grulich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Homosexual Men ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Private Lives ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
And Bisexual

Objectives: We examined whether trends in HIV testing in community-based samples of homosexual men may account for the convergence in HIV notification rates in homosexual men across the eastern states of Australia. Methods: We examined data on self-reported HIV testing from annual cross-sectional, self-completed anonymous surveys of homosexual men conducted between 1998 and 2006 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Men were recruited at gay community venues and events. Comparisons of HIV testing between the three cities and across time were carried out. We also compared reported rates of HIV testing across states in Private Lives, the 2005 online survey of health and wellbeing among non-heterosexual people. Results: Men recruited from clinics had a much higher prevalence of HIV testing and were excluded from further analyses. Among the 48 263 completed questionnaires obtained in non-clinic sites, there was a marked decline in the proportion of men who had never been tested for HIV in Sydney (from 8.1 to 5.1%, P trend < 0.001) and Brisbane (from 11.8 to 7.9%, P trend = 0.002) but no change in Melbourne. This proportion of men who had never been tested was lower in Sydney than in either Melbourne or Brisbane (P < 0.001). There were increases in the proportion of non-HIV-positive men who had been tested for HIV in the previous year across all three cities, although the proportion in Melbourne was lower than in the other two cities. Conclusion: These data suggest that changes in HIV testing rates among homosexual men are insufficient to account for the recent differences in trends in HIV notifications in eastern Australia.

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